AppealCourtreservesdecision formanguiltyofrapingboys

The Guyana Court of Appeal has reserved its decisioninthecasebywhich amanwhoisguiltyofraping two boys is seeking to overturn his sentence and conviction.

The appeal by convicted rapist, Mark Campbell came up for hearing at the appeal court last week. Lawyers for the accused and the State attended a virtual hearing where they were told they wouldnotarguethecasebut would rely on their written submissions given to the court. Campbell is currently servingtwolifesentencesfor raping two boys. In one case he was convicted by a jury, whileintheotherhepleaded guilty

In the first case, a jury in 2017 convicted Campbell of sexually penetrating a sixyear-old boy twice—during the month of September, 2011—and again on July

CONVICTED:

Mark Campbell

10th, 2013, when he was eight years old Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall sentenced him to life in prison.

Forgoing his right to a trial, Campbell who was back in court mere months after to answer the charge of raping the other boy, admitted that he had indeed assaulted the five-year-old onApril16th,2013.

Campbell recently movedtotheCourtofAppeal claiming that his conviction cannot stand. He is asking thathissentencebesetaside since it was unfair, too severe, and excessive. The matter is expected to be calledintheCourtofAppeal onAugust16.

According to reports, Campbell was asked by the boy’s mother to take care of him while she worked the night shift Campbell allegedly sodomised the boy onthedatesmentionedinthe chargeswhilehismotherwas atwork.

In 2018, Campbell was handed another life sentence afterconfessingtorapinga5year-old boy on April 16, 2013 The sentence was handed down by Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, who ordered that Campbell be eligible for parole after serving30years.

WANSat Networks Inc., a locally-based Guyanese Internet Service Provider on Sunday announced that it has signed an agreement with Viasat for distributing its satellitebroadbandservicesinGuyana.

Viasat is a global leader in satellite communications that leverages its satellite network to power high-quality, secure, affordable, fast connections and help close theglobaldigitalgap,WANSatsaidinapress release.

Thedistributionagreementwillleverage satellitebroadbandcapacityfromtheViaSat3 satellite platform once it is launched and operational.According toViasat’s Q3 FY23 earningscall,thecompanyanticipateslaunch oftheViaSat-3fortheAmericassatellitethe weekofApril8.

WANSatwillmarket,install,andprovide on-site service to broadband customers in Guyana as a licensed Internet Service Provider, in collaboration with its local partners.

The agreement with WANSat gives Viasatastrategiclocalpartnerandchannelto meet the growing connectivity needs of a nation with the fastest growing economy in the world. WANSat’s goal is to enable Guyana to reach 100% internet penetration by 2025, leveraging satellite to extend internet coverage beyond the extremities of currentwirelessandwirelineproviders.